CEBU may require 40 to 50 new cold storage facilities to meet the demands of its farming and fishing industries, reduce food wastage, lower consumer prices, and lessen the control of middlemen in the supply chain.
Mark Anthony Ynoc, president of the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) said it would be ideal for cold storage hubs to be located close to production areas such as farms and fishing communities.
However, he noted that cost considerations are likely to place most facilities near port areas, where goods are consolidated and transported.
Ynoc said expanding cold storage capacity across the province will help address the 30 percent of food lost to spoilage due to limited storage, which drives up consumer prices.
“If we want to bring down the cost of food, we need to invest in cold chain facilities from the north to the south of Cebu,” he said.
At present, farmers and fishers largely rely on ice plants as the only alternative to preserve produce and catch, a system Ynoc said is insufficient to sustain supply chains and minimize post-harvest losses.
He urged foreign and local investors to consider the sector, citing strong demand. While Cebu has 14 licensed cold storage companies, the province remains far from meeting its needs.
“If there’s another promising sector to invest in, it’s the cold storage sector,” he said.
Ynoc added that Cebu’s geographic position at the center of the country and its role as a major transportation hub make it a strategic location for cold storage investment. A single 2,000- to 3,000-square-meter warehouse costs an estimated P80 million to P100 million to build.
In a separate interview, Benedict Que, a trustee of the Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry, agreed with Ynoc, saying more cold storage facilities would help improve farmers’ income, ensure a steady supply of agricultural products, and support Cebu’s agribusiness growth.
“This will encourage entrepreneurs to scale up production and become agri-entrepreneurs,” said Que.
Grace Cenas, general manager of Philippine Inno-Ventures Agriculture Cooperative, added that cold storage would allow farmers to preserve produce longer instead of selling at distress prices, giving them stronger bargaining power. She also noted that each facility creates jobs in operations, maintenance and logistics.
“It helps stabilize food availability during lean months, calamities or supply disruptions,” she said.
Cebu’s push for cold storage aligns with a national government initiative.
In June, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. called on the Cold Chain Association of the Philippines to support the Department of Agriculture’s plan to accelerate cold storage development nationwide.
In a statement, Laurel said the DA is fast-tracking its cold chain expansion by rolling out modular and mega cold storage warehouses (CSWs) in major agricultural regions. Mega CSWs are designed to handle large volumes, with capacities ranging from 1,700 to over 8,000 pallet positions.
The program also includes refrigerated vans, dryers, and ice plants to support a comprehensive logistics ecosystem.
The DA has allocated P3 billion to build around 99 cold storage facilities starting this year. These refrigerated warehouses will use a hybrid system — powered by renewable energy such as solar and wind alongside the main grid — to ensure efficient and sustainable operations, particularly in remote areas. / KOC